Thanks Crystal. Yes, I used something similar, but to keep the duck on the bed prior to planting. The trouble I find with some Organic/Permaculture methods is that they're difficult to scale. I'm currently looking to extend my area of cultivation to 5000 m2 (1.25 acres) per year. Fencing becomes a headache in the end and try finding enough mulch to cover an acre.

Interesting about the Khacki Campbells. One of the reasons I had to cage my duck was due to it flying over the fences. Otherwise it would have been in a different area and safe from the fox. I should have clipped her wings, but she seemed so proud of them I didn't have the heart :(

When dealing with nature (or reality) then I guess sentiment has to be replaced with pragmatism.

5ooo m2? Well Burgandy, that's more energy than I have.

My vegetable garden is about 3500 sq feet and the rest of a quarter acre in fruit nuts and berries.

I am going to try using a mustard cover crop this fall as it is supposed to die away nicely. I plant in intensive beds (no dig) so that there is no room for mulch. If I had more land I would likely be spreading things out and undersowing as Rhisiart Gwilym (above) is doing. On mulch I think that what might be a passing thought is paper mulch, there is just do much paper about. My wife shreads just what comes through the mail and that gives bags more than enough, for the carbon layers, in the kitchen compost. Would need a pretty heavy duty industrial shredder though I guess:(